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The Edmonton Oilers are so very proud to select, 2nd overall, William Nylander.

Lowe's last act as President of the Oilers, screw with Nylander's mom because she nixed the deal here for her husband. She simply watches him play live when he's on the road and it is seen as one of many of Lowe's blunders.

^I never include Nylander as an option when I talk about the Oilers sure fire high draft pick in 2014 because, BPA or not, I doubt the Oilers would be interested, not just because of what Michael did, but because Willie gives us more of what we already have...as if we haven't heard this enough times already...a small-ish, talented forward. heads should roll if they take this guy!

There's absolutely no acceptable reason that this crap is still going on but it is so it's time to start tracking our potential draft pick spot since there's little else to get excited about this season.

With only 2 of the bottom 10 teams in the league in the west and 5 of the bottom 15 teams you'd have to think that the odds of us finishing in the bottom 5 are quite high.

It would ironic if Omark helps the sabres win and they pass the oilers in the standings.

However, someone pointed out that with the new drafting rules the oilers will not have the most balls in the lotto if they come last. Because they have had three number one picks in the last 4 years and they plays against us getting Eklbad

It would ironic if Omark helps the sabres win and they pass the oilers in the standings.

However, someone pointed out that with the new drafting rules the oilers will not have the most balls in the lotto if they come last. Because they have had three number one picks in the last 4 years and they plays against us getting Eklbad

Wouldn't that just be the best thing. Omark goes to Buffalo and makes them not as terrible as us

Couldn't agree with you more Bryan. You take Ekblad and then try and sign enough people that he's not relied upon. With how much the cap is going up, its all about picking the right UFAs, and ensuring you offer enough to get them. We're going to have an insane amount of capspace. Time to make use of it

It's the same song every year. Lets hold on to the 1st rounder because of the fear of "losing" a trade, draft an elite prospect who will likely be years away from making an impact, and sign a big free agent. No problem, right?
The fact of the matter is that no impact free agents will sign here especially the more it becomes obvious that the team is going nowhere (J. Schultz was an extreme example) so what do the Oilers have of value that is expendable besides the 1st rounder? How else can they improve the team without dealing the 1st rounder?

Here's the thing.... Lets assume that RNH, Hall and Nurse are untouchable. That pretty much leaves Eberle and Yakupov as the only truly valuable trade assets.
I don't think Eberle carries as much value as he once did because he used to be a one dimensional offensive player who was fairly cheap whereas now, he's a 6 million dollar signed long term one dimensional offensive player.

I know that i'm probably in the minority in thinking that Yakupov doesn't have much value at this point at least compared to what most Oiler fans think his value is.
The more he struggles this season, the less importance "former No.1 overall" holds and this isn't just a run of the mill sophomore slump, this is a player who is drowning pretty quickly and has had his confidence completely shattered. He obviously has plenty of potential but i can't imagine that any GM would give up something really valuable for a young player who might never reach his potential plus when you add in the Larionov fiasco, i would imagine that would turn off a lot of GMs who might think that Yakupov has baggage now beyond just struggling on the ice.

Who else has value? Klefbom? I don't know, he's yet another young player who is failing in the Oilers system. His success in the SEL seems like a distant memory now although it's way too early to give up on him but i'm just speaking strictly trade value.
Gagner? LOL Petry? Who?
The bottom line is that a potential top 2 pick is probably the most valuable asset that the Oilers will have because it's a potentially elite player for cheap which is gold in a capped NHL so even though I understand why a lot of you want to hold onto the pick and draft another elite prospect, i think it's the only way to vastly improve the team even if it's a quantity for quality type of deal. Nashville and Phoenix could be 2 targets. Teams with a strict budget, that are lacking in high end forward prospects and would probably love to add a young, cheap elite forward prospect and have tons of organizational defensive depth to compensate for them losing a good Dman.
Are some of you content with holding onto the pick and continuing on a perpetual rebuild? Something has to be done to show that they are serious about winning. This is getting absurd already.

It would ironic if Omark helps the sabres win and they pass the oilers in the standings.

However, someone pointed out that with the new drafting rules the oilers will not have the most balls in the lotto if they come last. Because they have had three number one picks in the last 4 years and they plays against us getting Eklbad

Where did this come from? Far as I know there are no rules about that but I might have missed it.

These are the only rules I can find as well but I can stand corrected if someone has other info:

From 1995 to 2012, the team winning the draft lottery could rise no more than four positions in the draft order.

As of 2013, all 14 lottery teams have a chance to win the first overall selection in the draft.

The lottery is weighted to give the worst teams the best chances of winning.

Odds of winning the draft lottery remain the same as they were under the 1995-2012 system.

The likelihood of each team gaining the right to the first pick is:
30th place: 25.0%
29th place: 18.8%
28th place: 14.2%

@CupOfOil.....on the other hand though, our developmental system still needs to be looked after and there just isn't much there except for defensive depth. all the 6.0 C players the Oilers traded down for at the last draft helped fill the cupboard, but hardly with top prospects. but I get the point and I have always believed in my own opinion that if we get one of the top 2 picks, then make the pick....top centre or top d-man coming our way. but then, I wouldn't be against a trade but only if the Oilers don't screw it up and get some good, immediate help for us to help us win next year.

@CupOfOil.....on the other hand though, our developmental system still needs to be looked after and there just isn't much there except for defensive depth. all the 6.0 C players the Oilers traded down for at the last draft helped fill the cupboard, but hardly with top prospects. but I get the point and I have always believed in my own opinion that if we get one of the top 2 picks, then make the pick....top centre or top d-man coming our way. but then, I wouldn't be against a trade but only if the Oilers don't screw it up and get some good, immediate help for us to help us win next year.

Management can't be afraid to "screw up", that's a losers attitude if that's how they feel. It's the reason why Tambo was so ineffective always evaluating and looking for a "knock your socks off" offer although i'm not sure if it was Tambo dithering or if he was just taking orders from KLo.
It seems like fans have gotten into the Tambo mindset that they are so afraid to make a quantity for quality deal that they might lose. Well, you don't know until you try.

Staying pat, continuing to pile up prospects and rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic isn't going to work. Waiting for the core (an inbalanced core at that) to all of a sudden "get it" is an even riskier game to play than doing a quantity for quality deal. Changing the coach yet again and introducing yet another system and personality to a struggling group of youngsters who have had no stability throughout their entire pro career isn't going to change much.

It's time to start introducing culture change and that should begin with putting the pick on the table and see what teams are willing to offer. Then MacT should look at breaking up the core in the offseason and introducing some balance to the lineup even if it means sacrificing some skill. Enough is enough already.

Management can't be afraid to "screw up", that's a losers attitude if that's how they feel. It's the reason why Tambo was so ineffective always evaluating and looking for a "knock your socks off" offer although i'm not sure if it was Tambo dithering or if he was just taking orders from KLo.
It seems like fans have gotten into the Tambo mindset that they are so afraid to make a quantity for quality deal that they might lose. Well, you don't know until you try.

Staying pat, continuing to pile up prospects and rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic isn't going to work. Waiting for the core (an inbalanced core at that) to all of a sudden "get it" is an even riskier game to play than doing a quantity for quality deal. Changing the coach yet again and introducing yet another system and personality to a struggling group of youngsters who have had no stability throughout their entire pro career isn't going to change much.

It's time to start introducing culture change and that should begin with putting the pick on the table and see what teams are willing to offer. Then MacT should look at breaking up the core in the offseason and introducing some balance to the lineup even if it means sacrificing some skill. Enough is enough already.

by "screwing it up" I mean if they trade a very high pick for players who don't end up helping us and don't by into Eakin's system or God forbid players that don't want to stay here. the Oilers must be careful ! this may be a so called "weak" draft, but there is some potential good future top end talent in the top 5 or so. I wonder what ever happened to the Scott Laughton from Philly rumours that were swirling around earlier this year?

^and more than one media guy here has said unless the Oil can secure a #1 d-man in the off season, then the search is a failure. funny thing is, #1 d-men don't grow on trees and teams that have them or more than one like St. Louis, aren't willing to give them away, and the Oilers wouldn't be the only team interested of course. guess it's Shea Weber for Jordan Eberle or bust !

Leon Draistal is listed at 209 pounds already ... is that right? If so he's probably ahead of the curve.

Draisaitl is an interesting potential pick... he isn't overly physical though, so even though he has bigger than average size, he doesn't play that big... he is 4th on mackenzies list, 8th on button's and 7th on ISS's list... so he is right in the area that the oilers will likely be picking, as even if we miraculously have a great 2nd half, we aren't going to be picking beyond the 5th-7th overall pick i wouldn't think

personally, i want to trade the pick for immediate help, but that deal might not be there this year, as the draft is so weak

A 1B Center would not hurt this team in the slightest. Maybe he even turns out to be more dominant that RNH and becomes our 1C while RNH goes to 2C duties. Who knows. There are two potential top C's imo (Reinhart and Draisaitl) and a 1D (Ekblad)

Both are good long term for this team. We have a ton of players who are the same, we can stand to move those pieces first before we think about screwing out chances at a 1D or 1B C.

I'd add Sam Bennett to that group. The guy reminds me of Hall, fast, one shot scorer who crashes the net. I think if he was a little bigger he'd be in talks for 1st overall. For me I'd take any of Ekblad, Reinhart, or Bennett over Draisaitl and it'd be close between him and Dalcolle.

If the Oilers are in a position to take Sam Reinhart, I think they would make a play for Griffin Reinhart too with Yakupov as the core piece going to the Islanders. Probably Gagner too and one other piece coming back here.

Yakupov can be Tavares' winger and Gagner is his best buddy, probably could soothe a lot of the sting of a disappointing step back season in Long Island/Brooklyn.

If the Oilers are in a position to take Sam Reinhart, I think they would make a play for Griffin Reinhart too with Yakupov as the core piece going to the Islanders. Probably Gagner too and one other piece coming back here.

god i hope not, the LAST thing we need is another unproven defender.... if we are trading yakupov (which i 100% believe would be a massive mistake), it better be for an established defender, not a 19 year old who won't help us for another 3-4 years

god i hope not, the LAST thing we need is another unproven defender.... if we are trading yakupov (which i 100% believe would be a massive mistake), it better be for an established defender, not a 19 year old who won't help us for another 3-4 years

Reinhart would be ahead of the curve of some of this year's draft though ... he will have had 2 years of development from his draft year under his belt by the time training camp starts.

I don't know if it'd necessarily be smart, but I could see the Oilers doing it.

Reinhart would be ahead of the curve of some of this year's draft though ... he will have had 2 years of development from his draft year under his belt by the time training camp starts.

and yet he still wouldn't be at all helpful to the oilers for *at least* another 2 or 3 years, and likely longer

i am done with dmen under the age of 22, just DONE with them.... nurse should stay in the OHL next year and klefbom should either be traded (if we can find somebody dumb enough to take him off our hands) or stay in the AHL next year

Draisaitl is an interesting potential pick... he isn't overly physical though, so even though he has bigger than average size, he doesn't play that big... he is 4th on mackenzies list, 8th on button's and 7th on ISS's list... so he is right in the area that the oilers will likely be picking, as even if we miraculously have a great 2nd half, we aren't going to be picking beyond the 5th-7th overall pick i wouldn't think

personally, i want to trade the pick for immediate help, but that deal might not be there this year, as the draft is so weak

I dont see it, the top 3 are all going to be players. For me thats Reinhart, Ekblad, and Bennett. I was on board with trading the pick, but after watching both Reinhart and Bennett I'd wait until the draft and take one of them and trade RNH or take Ekblad. I'll bring up a deal I've thrown around a few times with RNH going to St. Louis for Berglund + Shattenkirk+Jaskin. Then trade Gagner+Klefbom to Chicago for Hjalmarsson. Then Yakupov+Petry to Philly for Couturier+Simmonds. Sign M. Greene and Hillier. Gives us a lineup like this: